As an encore to his complete game shutout of rival Miami, Logan Shore was stingier than the admissions staff at Dartmouth. Shore led the No. 1 Florida Gators (10-1) to a 7-0 win over the Dartmouth Big Green(0-4) on Friday night at McKethan Stadium.
“He changed speeds early in the count and did a really nice job of getting leadoff hitters out and staying ahead of them,” manager Kevin O’Sullivan said. “That was the challenge for him tonight. It’s easy when you have such a great start the week before to not be as ready to pitch, and he was outstanding. That’s what Friday night guys do.”
The Gators got on the board in the first frame when Pete Alonso singled home Buddy Reed — who had singled and stolen second — with a shot into right field. Florida again challenged Dartmouth starter Duncan Robinson in the third. Dalton Guthrie led off the frame with a single and moved to second two batters later when JJ Schwarz collected the first of two hits on the night. Pete Alonso struck out before Jeremy Vasquez brought Guthrie home with a single of his own.
Meanwhile, Shore was dealing. The junior retired the first four batters he faced before Nick Ruppert reached first on an error. When Ruppert was caught stealing and Shore got Kyle Holbrook to fly out, he had made it through three innings facing the minimum.
“He pitched a hell of a game. He’s a horse,” Alonso said of Shore. “There’s really not much else you can say, he just dominated. It was a really good night on the mound for him and it’s really fun to watch.”
Shore retired the first 14 batters he faced before Holbrook hit a soft liner that found outfield grass in front of Buddy Reed. Shore responded by striking out the next batter and retiring the next seven he faced.
“I wanted to stay in, obviously. I was at 76 pitches and it would have been pretty cool to go two in a row but I understand what Sully’s doing and he knows what he’s doing,” Shore said. “[To] get Eddy [Demurias] in the game and get some work like that is special.”
The Gators added three runs in the bottom of the fourth when Dalton Guthrie drove home Jonathan India and Deacon Liput and was then brought home by Schwarz’s second hit of the night. Alonso doubled home two more runs in the sixth inning as Florida prepared to turn to the bullpen to close the game out.
Frank Rubio pitched one inning in relief of Shore, striking out one and surrendering a hit. Then freshman Eddy Demurias made his Florida Gators pitching debut, throwing a perfect ninth to close out the game.
Florida and Dartmouth will play game two of the series Saturday at 4 p.m.